Operating mechanism for scraper bowl material ejector



July 1, 1969 w. E. MARTIN I 3,452,462 v OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SCRAPEH BOWL MATE RIAL EJECTOR Filed on. 13, 1965 Sheet of 4 INVENTOR:

William E Mari/vim July 1, 1969 w. E. MARTIN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWL MATERIAL EJECTOR Filed Oct. 15, 1965 Sheet INVENTOR: l/fiilliam EMczrZZ'w W. E. MARTIN July 1, 1969 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWL MATERIAL EJECTOR Filed Oct. 13, 1965 Sheet INVENTOR: ZMZZL'am/Effamfifl/ United States Patent Oflice 3,452,462 Patented July 1, 1969 3,452,462 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWL MATERIAL EJECTOR William E. Martin, Kewanee, Ill., Martin Company, Box 187, Kewanee, II]. 61443 Filed C1. 13, 1965, 581'. N0. 495,559 Int. Cl. EOZj 3/78, 3/84 U.S. Cl. 37-126 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is directed to power operated mechanisms adapted for actuating the ejector means within a scraper bowl between partially or fully retracted bowl loading position and any selected material discharge position within the scraper bowl, all under the control of an operator regulating the movements and functions of such a scraper bowl.

More specifically, the invention is confined to compact link structures interposed between the body of the bowl and the ejector blade of said bowl including power cylinder means controlled from a power vehicle that manipulates the scraper bowl or from any other selected point accessible to an operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact link structure for a scraper bowl ejector blade to regulate the fore and aft movements of this ejector means and to reduce the overall length of the mobile rig used to support the scraper bowl.

Another object is to provide a link structure that is arranged to vertically stabilize the ejector blade whether at rest or during its manipulation into different positions so as to counteract ejector blade tilt during the material ejection from the scraper bowl or at other positions occupied by such ejector blade.

A still further object is to provide an ejector blade actuation means that is entirely an integral part of the scraper bowl structure except for the hydraulic hose lines and valve means that are preferably connected with a power tractor and provided with coupling assemblies of the conventional type to release the hose lines when disconnecting the scraper bowl implement from the tractor vehicle.

All other objects and advantages shall hereinafter appear in or become evident from the following detailed description of the present invention having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a scraper bowl implement, shown as universally connected with a power tractor to manipulate the scraper, the scraper bowl implement incorporating the link structure of the present invention, the plan view comprising a plan section taken along the plane of the line 1-1 in FIG. 2 to eliminate the showing of the stone guard for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view to illustrate the link structure of the scraper bowl and the details thereof, this section being taken substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view in vertical section of certain of the link means substantially as viewed along the plane of the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a scraper bowl assembly per se incorporating a modified arrangement of ejector blade operating mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view of the FIG. 4 construction and as viewed substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken through a scraper bowl assembly illustrating another modified construction of ejector blade actuating means and as this apparatus appears when viewed along the plane of the line 6-6 shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 7 is a rear face view of the scraper bowl assembly and the link structure thereof for the ejector blade as the same appears when the bowl is viewed from the left in FIG. 6, certain parts being broken away for the sake of clarity and illustrating the power cylinders in broken lines to better show some of the constructional details of this invention.

It is to be understood that the scraper bowl and its ejector blade means may be suspended or carried by any suitable wheeled or other supporting means to guide and to manipulate such a scraper assembly. The scraper bowl carrying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is of the type disclosed and described in my copending application, Ser. No. 485,728, filed Sept. 8, 1965 and which relates to a control and nudging means for earth working devices.

In FIG. 1, the wheeled supporting means of the aforesaid copending patent briefly comprises a peripheral frame 1 having side legs 2 and 3 with ground wheels 4 and 5, together with a transverse leg 6 carrying a releasable universal coupling means 7 connected with a trunnion unit 8 carried by a power tractor 9 that manipulates the wheel framework described. The scraper bowl 10 is supported by link sets 11 and 12 on one side and by link sets 13 and 14 on the other side, while interposed power cylinders 15 and 16 are provided to shift the swingable positions of the link sets to raise or lower the bowl between loading and transport positions in relation to frame 1 and to the surface upon which the wheels 4 and 5 rest or move.

The loading edge of the bowl 10 has a ground cutting blade 17 as a loading facility and a hood 18 is positioned across the front open end of the bowl to be raised, 1owered or moved into an intermediate position in relation to the blade 17 or floor 19 of the bowl 10 by means of cylinders 20 and 21 mounted on the bowl walled sides 22 and 23 and connected with the hood arms 24 and 25 pivoted on the bowl at 26 and 27.

The scraper bowl 10 is provided with an ejector blade which will hereinafter be referred to as the ejector 28 and which is transversely supported on floor 19 of the bowl 10 with its ends terminating adjacent the side walls 22 and 23, the ejector carrying a suitable stone guard 29 across the upper part thereof as shown in FIG. 2. The rear end of the scraper bowl is generally open as best seen in FIG. 2 and suitable guide rails such as 30 and 31 on wall 22 and 32 and 33 on wall 23 aid in guiding the ejector 28 through the bowl 10 by means of ejector side notches 34 and 35 on one side and 36 and 37 on the other side thereof. 1

The ejector manipulating mechanism is generally shown at 38 and for the main part comprises two reinforced fore and aft swingable actuation links 39 and 40 pivotally joined with push links 41 and 42, while power cylinders 43 and 44 are provided to swing the main actuation links 39 and 40. Links 39 and 40 are pivoted at 45 and 46 on cross brackets 47 and 48 secured to the rear of bowl 10, the same brackets providing support legs or other bracket 3 means 49 and 50 to carry the pivot pins 51 and 52 for the cylinders 43 and 44.

The rams 53 and 54 of cylinders 43 and 44 are pin connected with links 39 and 40 at 55 and 56 to induce the horizontal swinging motion of links 39 and 40, while link 39 is pivotally joined with link 42 at 57 and link 40 is pivotally joined with link 41 at 58, the link 42 being shown in detail in FIG. 3.

Both of the links 41 and 42 are stabilized by the links 39 and 40 to maintain the ejector 28 in vertical relation within the bowl 10 and during its operation, further stabilization being introduced by vertically spread ears 59 and 60 on link 41 and ears 61 and 62 on link 42. Elongated lugs 63 and 64 are secured to the rear face of the ejector 28 to carry pivot pins 65 and 66, the former to receive ears 59 and 60 of link 41 and the latter to receive ears 61 and 62 of the link 42 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It should also be noted that the links 41 and 42 are made with forked ends at their connecting ends with links 39 and 40, one such forked end 67 being indicated in FIG. 3.

It should be observed in FIG. 2, that the connections of the swingable ends of links 39 and 40 are points 68 and 69 which lie generally midway in the vertical height of the ejector 28 so that the power applied by cylinders 43 and 44 is transmitted to the ejector in locations that avoid inducing any vertical tilt to the ejector 28.

As a further means to stabilize the ejector 28 and to keep this instrumentality substantially at right angles to the longitudinal line of travel of the ejector through the scraper bowl 10, cylinders 43 and 44 should be controlled to transmit equal motion to each link assembly to hold the ejector in its crosswise relation within the bowl and during the ejector movement through said bowl.

To accomplish this function, FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates an equal flow control valve 70 on the power vehicle 9 receiving a high pressure fluid supply by means of line 71 from a fluid pressure source while a handle 72 is provided for the operator to divert fluid to the double acting cylinders 43 and 44 as needed. The dash and dot lines 73 and 74 are for fluid lines to connect the valve 70 with cylinder 43 while dash and dot lines 75 and 76 are for fluid lines that connect the valve 70 with the cylinder 44. The latter described fluid lines are equipped with conventional couplings to disconnect the scraper implement from the tractor unit upon separation of such named vehicles.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a modified arrangement of ejector actuating means is here shown which also employs two hydraulic cylinders and two sets of link mechanisms to manipulate the ejector within a scraper bowl. In all of these ejector operating devices shown, it should be understood that the ejector may be moved to any point between its totally retracted position and its fully forward position. Also the rate of travel of the ejector can be governed by the valve means to regulate the pressure fluid volume according to the rate of motion required, as an example, to obtain a given rate of discharge of the bowl material. Thus, between the rate of motion of the ejector and the amount of opening permitted by a given hood elevation in relation to the cutting blade, the ejector provides a very versatile and efiicient bowl emptying arrangement. Obviously, a given loading sequence may also be developed by the mechanisms described for any set of conditions to meet certain operative relationships leading to given volumetric filling of the bowl as one example or to adjust the filling rate as another example.

FIGS. 4 and omit bowl supporting means to primarily show the bowl and its ejector with the ejector actuating mechanism. In this construction, the bowl 77 is provided with a cutting blade 78, a swingable hood 79 pivoted at 80 and the bowl floor 81 connects the upright side walls 82 and 83 similar to the other described assembly in FIGS. 1 to 3. An ejector 84 rides fore and aft within the bowl 77 and it is operated by dual link assemblies 85 and 86. A suitable stone guard 87 is secured to the top portion of the ejector 84.

Since the two link assemblies are identical in structure, the upper one in FIG. 4 and the same one shown in FIG. 5 will carry the reference numerals which will be primed in the same structure shown in the lower assembly 86 in FIG. 4.

The link assembly 85 comprises pairs of vertically spaced links 88-89 and 90-91 pivotally joined at 92 and 93. Links 88-89 are pivoted on pins 94 and 95 carried by a cross bracket 96 which has side mounts 97 and 98 that are fixedly secured to the side walls 82 and 83 of bowl 77. Links 90-91 are joined by pins 99 and 100 with ears 101-102 that are vertically spaced and connected to the rear face of the ejector 84 as best shown in FIG. 5. With this vertically spaced dual link arrangement, the ejector is vertically maintained and stabilized within the bowl 77 as the links described actuate such ejector in the bowl.

A suitable double acting extensible power cylinder 103 is pivotally swingable on pin 104 supported on hearing members 105 and 106 fastened to bracket 96 and the cylinder ram 107 connects with cross pin 108 joining the links 90-91 to move the connected link sets described in FIG. 4 from their full line positions to the broken line positions to move the ejector 84 to position 84 in FIG. 4, also shown as 84 in full line position in FIG. 5.

Cylinders 103 and 103 are simultaneously controlled through an equal flow control valve 109 having control lever 110 and dual feed lines 111-112 leading from the valve to cylinder 103 and lines 113-114 supplying cylinder 103'.

The described forms in FIGS. 1 and 5 are constructed with vertically condensed mechanisms using extendible and collapsible link structures and power means to actuate the ejector units of these forms of the invention.

Another modified construction of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 which show a scraper bowl 115 having a cutting blade 115a with a forward hood 116 that is arm suspended at 117 on a pivot 118 and actuated by cylinders such as 119. The bowl 115 is open rearwardly and forwardly with side walls 120 and 121 connected by the floor structure 122.

The ejector 123 is positioned in the bowl as in the other forms, but it is wheel supported by wheels 124 and 125 to reduce the sliding friction of the ejector over the bowl floor 122. A suitable stone guard 126 is also carried across the top of the ejector as in the other described scraper assemblies.

Each of two similar link means 127 and 128 are here provided for moving the ejector through the bowl and the link means 127 and 128 each comprise upper and lower dual pairs of link sets 129-130 and 131-132 connected at their upper ends through pins 133 and 134 respectively. The lower ends of links 129 are mounted on fixed pins 135 carried on brackets 136 and 137 suitably secured to a cross bracket 138, brackets 136 also being attached to the side walls 120 and 121 of the bowl 115. The lower ends of links 131 are similarly carried on fixed pins 139 also supported by brackets 136 and 137.

The lower free ends of links 130 connect with pins 140 on cars 141 secured to the ejector 123 while the lower free ends of links 132 are joined by pins 142 to cars 143 on the ejector. And vertically and intermediate the top cross pins 133 and 134 are a pair of spaced tie links 144 and 145 to connect the upper and lower link sets for selected concerted motion to cause such sets to straighten out into the broken line positions in FIG. 6 to move the ejector through the bowl for selective material discharge out of the bowl.

The power for this mechanical motion is supplied by extensible hydraulic cylinders 146 and 147 for the link assemblies 127 and 128 respectively. The upper ends of cylinders 146 and 147 swing upon shaft ends 148 and 149 of a cross shaft 150 supported between brackets 136-136 and the rams 151 and 152 of these cylinders pivotally connect with the upper pins 134-134 of each lower link set respectively so that when the cylinders are energized the lower sets of links collapse and straighten out inducing the same collapsing action in the upper link sets through the tie links 144 and 145.

Through the vertically spaced connections of the dual link structures of each set 127-128 with the ejector 123, the ejector is held to vertical stability and by supplying equal pressurized fluid flow to the two cylinders 146 and 147 through equal flow valve means and conduits as described in the forms shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the ejector will be held in transverse position while moving through the scraper bowl 115.

The invention is, therefore, directed to cooperative sets of extendible and retractable or collapsible link assemblies operatively connected between vertically and horizontally spaced stabilizing points on a scraper bowl ejector and connected with fixed fulcrum points on an integral portion of the scraper bowl. Power means are provided to actuate such link assemblies under the control of an operator on a tractor vehicle of the kind generally employed to guide and manipulate the scraper bowl implement under earth working conditions. And the scraper bowl is of a detachable type, although the invention is equally applicable for ejector actuation in any kind of a scraper mechanism whether it is bodily detachable or whether it is a nondetachable part of a road working machine.

The hereinbefore described embodiments of the present invention are suggested constructions of the present con cept of this invention and represent disclosures submitted by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is to be understood that certain other modifications or changes are possible in the combinations shown or in the individual parts of the mechanisms without departure from the general inventive concept.

What I claim is:

1. An ejector actuating mechanism for a scraper bowl of a road working machine providing a bowl manipulating framework having power operated link suspension mechanism connected with the bowl to bodily and independently actuate the bowl with respect to the framework and in relation to the surface being worked, said ejector actuating mechanism being solely mounted directly upon the bowl per se and bodily movable therewith comprising, in combination, a material carrying bowl having a solid bottom with contiguously connected solid upright side walls on said bottom, an ejector bodily movable in said bowl and within the material carrying area of said bowl to discharge-.material from within said bowl, laterally arranged support brackets directly mounted on said side walls of the bowl to extend across the rear bowl end in locations beyond the material carrying area of the bowl and arranged to span the rear open bowl end in positions intermediate the height of the bowl, said support brackets being bodily movable directly with the bowl during the earth working manipulations of said bowl,.and independent cooperative link means mounted on each of said bowl supported brackets and separately connected with said ejector at laterally spaced locations thereon intermediate the support brackets, said cooperative link means including power means carried on the aforesaid laterally arranged support brackets and connected with each of link means respectively to actuate said link means whereby to move said ejector through the material carrying area of said bowl with said cooperative link means.

2. An ejector actuating mechanism as in the combination set forth and defined in claim 1, wherein each of said cooperative link means are mounted to be generally horizontally swingable about their respective mountings on said bowl to move the free ends of said link means in a fore and aft direction with respect to said bowl and connecting links join said free ends of the link means with said ejector to induce said fore and aft motion of said ejector relatively to said bowl.

3. An ejector actuating mechanism as in the combination set forth and defined in claim 1, wherein one of said cooperative link means is mounted at one side of the bowl and connected with said ejector at the other side of the bowl and the other of said link means is mounted at said other side of the bowl and connected with said ejector at said first one side thereof to provide crisscross operating units to push and pull said ejector through said bowl.

4. In the combination of claim 3 wherein said power means comprise hydraulic power cylinders swingably mounted on said bowl and ram connected with each of said cooperative link means to actuate said link means respectively to transmit motion to the opposite sides of said bowl ejector.

5. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said ejector is slidably mounted on the bowl floor for movement thereacross and wherein said cooperative link means are each provided with a terminal link member having vertically spaced pivotal means thereon connected with said ejector at vertically spaced locations thereon to hold said ejector vertically stabilized against vertical tilt under the actuation of said cooperative link means.

6. A scraper bowl for earth working machines comprising an open ended bowl having a floor and side walls; a bowl material ejector disposed over the bowl floor and between the two side walls of said bowl for motion within the length of said bowl; vertically spaced bracket means secured to said bowl side walls in transverse positions across the rear open bowl end to be integral therewith adjacent said bowl end to the rear thereof to span the bowl at elevations intermediate the vertical height of said ejector in the bowl; multiple extensible link structures interposed between said bowl ejector and each of said bracket means and normally occupying vertically stacked overlying collapsed positions beyond the rear open bowl end but adjacent said ejector, said link structures being connected through said rear open bowl end to said ejector at laterally spaced points equidistant from the lateral outer edges of said ejector for lateral operative stability; and double acting oppositely related power means carried by each of said bracket means and operatively connected with said multiple extensible link structures respectively to individually move the same from collapsed positions outside said bowl to extend positions in the direction of the bowl interior whereby to actuate said ejector through said bowl between the side walls thereof to move bowl material out of the opposite end of said bowl when said oppositely related power means individually act in one direction, reversal of said power means causing retraction of said link structures to draw said ejector rearwardly within said bowl to a retracted position in the bowl, said power means including means to distribute equal energy to the respective power means to hold said ejector at right angles to its path of travel through said bowl.

7. In the combination of claim 6 wherein said link structures include vertically spaced attachment points on said ejector and at lateral locations thereon to counteract vertical tilt of said ejector during the link structure actuation thereof.

8. In the combination of claim 6 wherein said link structures are connected at lateral spaced points that are disposed equidistant from the lateral outer edges of said ejector for lateral operative stability and connected with said ejector through said rear open bowl end, and said power means are arranged to activate the spaced link structures independently but alike in eifort through the use of equal energy distribution to the respective power means to hold said ejector at right angles to its path of travel through said bowl.

9. A scraper bowl for earth working machines having a mobile frame with power operated link mechanisms to suspend and regulate the bowl in relation to the surface being worked comprising an open ended bowl with floor and side walls; an ejector carried at one end of said bowl on the floor and between said side walls for movement through said bowl between the rear and forward open ends thereof; a bracket structure comprising separate and independent horizontally arranged vertically spaced brackets traversing the rear open end of said bowl intermediate the height thereof and fixedly secured directly to the terminal rear edges of the walls of said bowl, and independently operable vertically stacked power actuated link sets mounted on said vertically spaced brackets respectively for horizontal swinging operation and connected with the ejector through said open rear bowl end at laterally spaced locations thereon, said horizontally operable link sets being independently swingable in different elevations in relation to each other and to their respective bracket structures to move said ejector from its initial position through said bowl under power actuation in one direction, and said link sets being retractably collapsible under power actuation in another direction to move said ejector in the opposite direction through said bowl into initial position.

10. In the combination of claim 9 wherein each link set includes a terminal link member having points of connection on said ejector that are vertically spaced on said ejector to stabilize the bodily upright position of the ejector during its back and forth movements through said material bowl.

11. In the combination of claim 9 wherein each of said link sets are secured with their respective bracket structures at vertically spaced locations to extend crosswise adjacent the ejector for transverse connection with said ejector in coplanar locations considered horizontally, and the power is provided through hydraulic cylinders arranged for'operation in the general transverse plane of the link sets and swingably connected with said same bracket structure and each being connected intermediate at least one pair of links in one of the link sets and arranged to extend said one link set when operated in one direction to move the ejector in one direction in the bowl and to move said ejector in the opposite direction in the bowl when operated in the opposite direction.

12. In the combination of claim 9 wherein said link sets provide paired connected links flanking the rear transverse face of the ejector and positioned for extension and retractable collapse with their respective terminal end portions being operative in vertically spaced horizontal planes positioned within the vertical height of the ejector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,740 7/ 1902 Foglesong 214-82 X 2,260,947 10/ 1941 Leach et al 214-82 X 2,616,578 11/1952 Dunham 214-82 2,638,045 5/1953 Heitshu 214-82 X 2,639,051 5/ 1953 Thomas 214-82 X 2,988,832 6/ 1961 Hancock et a1. 3,129,657 4/ 1964 Farley et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 474,968 4/ 1929 Germany.

ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Primary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner. 

